Airport Good-byes

Today's photo challenge:   A Single Window

I had to run errands, pay bills and do some Monday stuff.  I grabbed my camera on the way out the door but did not find any inspiration for a photo to go with today's challenge subject.  That may be because when I saw the subject, I immediately remembered this sweet picture of my nephew.  I rode with his MawMaw, PawPaw and Aunt Tracie to bring him and his mom to the airport for their return home.  This photo is soooo precious to me.  He and his mama live in a different state and we do not get to see them as often as we would like.  So, Caleb is a big boy now and his birthday is this month.  The family is anxiously waiting for them to come home in a couple weeks.  We are excited to celebrate his B-day with him this year! 

Sherrie and Caleb, We can't wait to see ya!

Modified shelves to fit the 73" tv for the man cave!

Terry had to cut out some shelves from the built in bookcase unit so that he could fit his new tv! On Father's Day last month, the television flipper (him!) came across QVC selling this tv as a Today's Special Value. I told him to 'change that channel'! I am a recovering QVCaholic. He said, 'Wait, I want to hear what they have to say....' Minutes later he had me calling in the order for this 73" tv. When it arrived, we had some modifying to do. We set it up temporarily on a stand until last night when he could cut out the shelves. So, I was painting and staining to repair the patches at midnight last night. When I saw that my photo group's challenge for today was shelves, I told him to strike a pose.

Smokey and the Bandit movie was on. See that hot spot on the screen? That is the hot spot from the flash. I thought it worked out that it looks almost like a huge headlight beam from the big truck.

Terry asked me how much of my stuff actually needs to go back on the shelves.  He told me if I didn't hurry up and put my things back up, he was going to put his football paraphanalia up there.  With 2 daughters and me, he has lived in a girl world for a long time.  I think he is ready for a man cave.  Actually, this is the living room.  It would be super nice to build a cave for his retreat.  He would hibernate there I am most certain!

Follow up: 

Jean Ann (blog: http://jakozlowski-athousandwords.blogspot.com/), asked a great question about the hot spot and how I was able to get it line up with the headlights on the big truck image. 

Here is my answer:  "Anytime, I tell my family members to 'go over there so I can get your picture...' and IF they decide to cooperate...I have to get that shot is 2.3 seconds or Its Over! If I take longer than that, I get eye rolls, shoulders thrown down in a huff, and looks that say "Would you hurry up and get this over with!" So, there is no time for creativity. I did a test shot with no flash and the tv picture was great, but all else was dark. Tried a couple different apertures but I knew I was going to lose my subject. So, I cranked it over to auto and let the pop flash fill up room. Timing of the two shots were deliberate. I wanted to have an iconic image on the tv screen and there was big ole Burt Reynolds, larger than life. I couldn't pass it up. Then, when I saw those big trucks rolling down the interstate, I knew I wanted that image too. Terry had no idea what I was getting excited about but I told him it was so cool. I knew I was getting the hot spot but, 'whatever'...ya know? So, when I downloaded the images, I noticed where the hot spot was on the trucker shot & thought, "HOT DANG!"

So, longer answer short, dumb luck. "

Brandilyn and me - photo field trip to the State Capital

Brandilyn, my niece, went on a photo field trip with me to the State Capital a few days ago.  I had some resources that I needed to return to ELBA so I asked her if she wanted to ride with me.  Brandi is always so easy to be around.  Anyway, another place that I had in mind to visit was the Walker Museum.  I had seen that John Gallager's beautiful nature photography was currently on display.   When she jumped into my car, I handed her my Panansonic Lumix and told her she can take shots of anything that she finds interesting. 

Silly me, I went to Walker and realized that I had not gotten the directions to the museum.  We stopped at the Police Station and they helped me with directions.  We finally found our destination and went inside the small old house turned local museum.  They have really put together a very nice collection of artifacts.  I especially loved looking over all the old photos that are posted on huge display boards.  One in particular, piqued my imagination.  It looked like a WWII period photo in sepia coloring of a couple in love.  What I liked was the manner in which the man had his arms wrapped around his girl.  It was like he was hugging her around the waist in that WWII kind of way.  I know, I know....hugging in a WWII kind of way?  That was so silly and vague sounding to try to describe it like that.  If you would see it, you might know.  The way they were laughing into the camera was terrific also.  It made me want to attempt to recreate the vibe and style of that earlier era.  I find it so interesting how there is a certain 'flavor' about those old photos.   I think my parents would very, very much enjoy browsing through this museum.  Lots of local interests there.  I can't wait to go back and discover many more treasures. 

After we left the Walker Museum, Brandi and I decided to go to the new State Capital tower lookout.  I had not been there since I was a little grade school kid.  Listen, I remember that school field trip and I didn't like it at all.  Oh my goodness, walking up to the guard rail and feeling the sway was terrifying.  Dizzy!  All I wanted to do was sit down flat on the ground.  So, almost 40 years later, I went back to the tower lookout.  As we were riding the elevator to the 24th floor, I could feel that school kid apprehension rising up in me.  But, I decided that I could do this now.   At floor 24, we had to catch a different elevator that went up to the tip- top of the tower.   Ok, we made it.  I stepped out onto the landing and voila!  I did it!  It was not so bad.  Although, when I would walk around, I kinda got a bit dizzy.  I asked Brandi if she felt it too.  She said she did. 

I took some pics of Brandi.  Here she is taking pics from the top of the State Capital tower lookout.   The following pictures are Brandi's images.  To Bran, I think you have mad skill!  I love you and Happy Sweet 16 on Thursday, next week!!!

She took the picture of my reflection as I was studying the replica model of the Old State Capital Building in the glass case.  I saw my own reflection and was reminded of an photographer's interesting work that I had seen here:   http://craftandvision.com/authors/eli-reinholdtsen/   Her name is  Eli Reinholdsten.  She sells a pdf version of her book Chasing Reflections.   She teaches technique to capture artistic reflections in photographs. 

I had just seen the front cover of Reinholdsten's advertised book this morning so it was fresh on my mind when I noticed my reflection.  I asked Brandilyn to try to capture the image.  At first, I could see her and the camera in the glass reflection. I knew she would be in the picture and it would not be as effective.  So, I asked her to move around to the side until I did not see her camera reflection.  We laughed as she kept adjusting her position around the glass case in order to capture the right angle.  You can see the lady and son who walked into the room as we were experimenting. We just kept going with our project.   It was fun and her photo turned out neat.  To me, when you catch human reflections, sometimes it appears as an apparition. wooooooo....spooky. 

I gotta say, "Great job, Bee-RaaN!"  :) Oh, yeah and congrats on that driving learner's permit! 

I think I am going to purchase that pdf that I mentioned.  It is only $5.00.  I think that it is great value and definitely worth a look see! 

Remembering Maw Maw Irene's Coffee Milk (Café au lait)

Daily Photo Challenge
Subject: Stretchy
July 27, 2010

For the stretchy challenge, I tried to get my husband to draw back the sling shot. He finally cooperated with a stipulation which was... "IF" I took his pic while sitting in the big boy chair as he was watching TV. Not alot of enthusiasm there. So, that was not really the image I was going for. Then, I looked around and remembered that I had flexi straws. They are a tiny bit stretchy, right? You know how one idea leads your imagination in all kinds of directions? Suddenly, I remembered my favorite drink when I was little kid. MawMaw Irene would fix me a big glass of sugary sweet coffee milk. She had this one certain green glass that was THE coffee milk glass for my brother and I. In good ole MawMaw style and for the special touch, she invariably plunked in a bent flexi straw. Well, actually she would put it in straight so that I could bend it over to hear that cranky sound.  Oh, yeah. It was so delicious down to the last little slurrrrrrrrp! Lastly, I would turn the glass up and throw my head back to get that final tiny drop. What a simple treat but a memory in my heart forever. Now, I am nostaglic for the Sunday evening program I used to watch when I stayed with MawMaw...Wild Kingdom.

Laundry Buds

laundry, originally uploaded by michelle*sibley.

The photo challenge today was "Holes". I posted this picture. No, the subject of this photo is really not holes (even though the laundry basket has holes). Rather, I posted it because I liked it. To be honest, I don't know why really I like it so much. It is an ordinary simple life chore. For some reason, this moment of two young (mostly spoiled type) people working together on a menial task like hanging clothes  captured my imagination. Instead of telling them how  I would hang all the blue towels together neatly on the front row....  I think The blankets should be hung straight and neat by matching the corners before pinning them on the line. And, certainly if there are any underwear to hang, I deliberately hang them on  the middle clothes line. Because, a) never on the front lest anyone can see them hanging front and center in clear view, or b) never hang undies on the back line because the neighbors can see the unmentionables through the cracks in the fence!   HUh? !!! The heck you say! Do I really think that my neighbors are going to peer at our underwear?  Hardly!   We have the sweetest neighbors we could ever hope for.  I'm just saying that thought crosses my mind and as a result, the unmentionables get tucked behind the bigger items.  Who really gives a flying poop-de-doo what our undies look like anyway?  Seriously, I did a Chester Cheetah head shake as I type this because I realize how those silly little idiosynchysies can pop into our consciousness.   OK, don't go getting all holier-than-thou on me...I know you have a few silly little hang ups too.  It is called being a human being.  We have to learn to call out those poison darts as they really are.  All lies from you know where!  Hang ups are hang ups whether  goofy like the one I described or an ominous phobia that gives you night sweats.  Know what to do about that?  Shake, Shake, Shake it off and start living!  About any fear (or goofy hang up) ask yourself..."What is the worst thing that can happen?"   Talk out the answer even if it is to yourself.   Usually, we can snap out of a hang up as quickly as we got trapped if  we can realize a paradigm shift.  Go ahead, think of one of your silly hang ups.  If you can't think of one right now, some day when it pops up on you unexpectantly, I hope that you remember to do your own Chester Cheatah head shake.  Rattle the rocks in your head hard enough to make you get back on track with what is real and important. Real and important?  That would be living and loving friends and family.  Accepting people for who they are, warts and all.  Then, your own warts won't be so noticeable, even to yourself. 

Did I get off on a tangent or what?  I think I did.  So, I will hop back off my soap box...(pun intended)... and continue with my laundry story.  This is where I quickly realized that I need to get over my useless idea of what is the right way to do a simple thing.  Also, I  figured, if they are going to volunteer to wash and hang the laundry, I should let them.  And, that I should also let them do it however the heck they darned well please. And, so I did and so they did.

I shot a series of photos of Kayla and Trevor hanging towels and blankets in the backyard...no faces....just legs and shadows. Then, puppy Mia pops into the mix.  I like the anonymity of these.  It could be anybody, anywhere.  Also, the shadow play behind the pink blanket was pretty cool. 

p.s.  Kayla walked up on me while I was working on this post.  She squinted her eyes and looked closer.  She said, "WHAT in the world?  Are those MY legs sticking out?"  She just laughed and walked off. 

Earthy Evening Shade

earthy evening shade, originally uploaded by michelle*sibley.

Today, I posted to the Daily Photo Challenge. I really enjoy participating with a group of very encouraging and talented photographers. Every day a new challenge subject is posted. Today's topic was favorite color. I like lots of colors. I like to wear red. All bright colors and shades of blue remind me of water which is wonderful. Anyway, when it came time to decide on a a final image to post that represents my choice of colors, I chose earth tones. I find that the older I get, the more earthy I have become. I appreciate nature and natural things more now than ever. Remember when you were a kid or even young adult? The most fun vacation idea would be a great amusement park or some kind of physical adventure, right? For me, it was my choice. Now, at this stage in my life, I long to see the natural world and experience places that my eyes have never seen.   Just last night, Terry and I talked about how we appreciate all the places we have been and experienced.  But, we also were making a list of the places we hope to visit.   All of those places include unique landscapes with amazing natural views.

In the picture above, I captured the sun beginning to get low over the old oak trees at my husband's parent's home. I absolutely love those big swaths of golden highlight landing on the ground and tree on this evening. When I see that golden sun, I get so excited.  This is the color of my favorite time of the day.  I thought it created a beautiful and peaceful scenario with the benches under the tree.  Yet, for me, the subject of this image is the earthy colors.  The greens, golds and warm brown tones are what attracts my attention.  When I posted the image to my flickr group for discussion, some of the comments made me smile. So many said they thought this looked like a nice place to sit and relax or read a book. This was truly a great compliment because I knew that my image evoked a certain mood as they pictured themselves in this very setting.

Day Trip to Covington Antique District

Mrs. Frances, Tracie, and me while having lunch on the sun porch of a restaurant named New Orleans Food and Spirits. Below, is the entrance to the restaurant.

 

After lunch we strolled a block to the English Tea Room for a pot of steaming hot Earl Grey Cream and desserts. 

The man seen in the picture above is the owner of the English Tea Room.  I enjoyed his English accent and friendly personality.  I hope to go back again soon.

* Below, I posted a slideshow with all the images I captured from today's outing. 

Photo album customized with Smilebox